


Just Friends

by eyesofthestormborn



Category: Haikyuu!!, haikyuu
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Childhood Friends, F/F, F/M, Fantasy AU, Friends to Lovers, Gender Neutral Pronouns, M/M, Romance, Royalty AU, Slow Burn, Tags TBA, future smut, gender neutral reader, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:07:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27722569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyesofthestormborn/pseuds/eyesofthestormborn
Summary: There was a flash of silver swinging through the air that caused you to stumble back, nearly toppling over. But, a pair of arms were quick to catch and situate you. Thinking it may be the prince, you turned to thank him when you felt a cool slice of metal being placed gently against your skin. Before you could call out, a gloved hand covered your mouth and began to tug you backward. With a gasp, you attempted to catch a look at them, but they seemed to be covered head to toe in dark clothing, concealing their identity.A soft and muffled voice whispered into your ear as you attempted to struggle from their hold, “Don’t struggle…I won’t hurt you.” In your panic, you didn’t manage to recognize the all too familiar voice. If you had, the cold in your veins would have turned to warmth and your heart would have been beating for a far different reason.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Kozume Kenma/Reader, Slight! Kuroo Tetsurou / Reader
Comments: 7
Kudos: 39





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for a writing contest that I failed to meet the deadline of so....I will be posting it in sections as chapters and actually going back and taking better time on each to tell a complete story! The updates few and far between, so please be patient and enjoy! Leave a Kudo and comment about something you might want see in the future!

The room was crowded, loud, and far too warm for your liking. If you could be anywhere but here, you would have chosen so in a heartbeat. But it was “required” of you, your “duty” to your kingdom to come to what had quickly turned into an engagement party. Your prospective partner was the young prince of this kingdom, Tooru Oikawa, and he was popular amongst many suitors. However, your parents had somehow secured a position for you to become his betrothed. You, as well as Tooru, had both been perturbed by this idea, almost disgusted. Tooru got along with you well enough, treating you with all of the respect he would any guest within his home. However, behind closed doors, he was more inclined to his truthful self, an intelligent and cunning individual that saw past the ideals of his father, the Emperor. He made sure to communicate the fact that he was far from interested in marrying you for the sake of his Kingdom, but he would do it if he must. 

You had also caught him with his personal guard on many occasions in a more than favorable position. At least his father would think so. You promised to say nothing of it, not wishing to risk both your lives and the allies you could gain for your kingdom. Besides, you couldn’t blame him for his secret romantic and sexual rendezvous with his beloved Hajime -- you were just as guilty in your romantic endeavors. For nearly a decade you had kept in touch with a childhood friend, a former servant’s child that was made into your free time playmate. 

Though forced to be your friend, the two of you had quickly grown close. His family has worked for yours for generations, and the youngest was usually assigned the playmate of the heir of the house. He was shy, a recluse at first, and kept only close enough to keep the wrath of your family at bay. His hair was a shade of golden blonde, seemingly dyed to match the rest of the servants of the house your family was so known for. When the dye would begin to fade and his true dark hair revealed, you would remark at how much he would appear to look like a cup of pudding. He had the most striking of eyes, a golden-brown that was cat-like and far more observant than any other child you knew. 

It didn’t take long for you to recognize that even though he never spoke to you directly nor met your eyes -- your company was a comfort to him. On the first day, you had asked him his name, and he had refused to answer. You tried the second and third to no avail. It wasn’t until you had berated your siblings for bullying the young boy that he even uttered a word to you. “Kenma,” he had said, “Kenma Kozume.” You would interact in the smallest of ways, in the smallest of moments. And these moments grew longer each day. You spent every passing hour in each other’s company, getting lost in the forests and gardens (an idea he was never fond of), pillaging the pantry (where you would beg him to help climb to the top), and playing in the estate (his favorite pastime). In return for him keeping you company on your adventures, you taught him to write, read him any book he wanted, and lazed about on days he felt no motivation to do anything. You turned to call each other nicknames, little teases that allowed you to recognize the other. “Pudding” he would call you for the love of the sweet. A name that would slowly evolve to mean more.

As the days passed, your childhood friendship began to grow and evolve into something far beyond your child's understanding. He was transforming into something more, something closer in your heart to a young romance. However, before either of you could confess or discuss the subject, his family was dismissed from the house under accusations of thievery and treachery. According to your father, the Kozume family had been secretly stealing from yours for decades and selling information to enemy territories. You never had the chance to gather an explanation nor give a farewell. You were heartbroken, refusing to eat or sleep until your father gave you a straight answer at their dismissal. But it never came. You were forbidden to even mention his or his family's name. 

And so you attempted to forget Kenma, to move on and listen to your father's demands. But every attempt made only caused you to remember him even more fondly and cause the feeling of loneliness to grow. Every attempt to assign you a companion was met with failure, with each leaving you quicker than the last. 

You found yourself shifting into your own isolation, roaming about the grounds alone most of the time. It was on one of the worst days, a day that you missed him the most, that a strange thing happened. The servants, though not fond of your family's treatment, treated you as well as you had treated them. Respectfully and fair. Late into the night, after a rather hectic dinner, a small piece of paper was slipped into your grasp by a maid who shuffled off quickly after. Left in confusion, you unfolded the paper to find a small note sketched upon it. The script on the paper seemed oddly familiar, if not a bit neater than the last time you’d seen it. It was a simple message, as even in writing Kenma wasn’t much for words;

I’m safe. I haven’t forgotten you. 

You had held onto those words, gripping them with all of your might and remembering them whenever you faced your toughest days. You continued to pass these notes back and forth, slowly expanding them into letters. How he ever received yours, you would never know. Nor would you ask. It would mean his and any of those who aided heads if your family found out you were corresponding with an accused “criminal”. Within the letters, he had managed to explain what had happened after leaving the house, the current state of how the world truly was, and, in his own way, how much he missed your company. You did so in return, cramping as many words as possible into each letter and keeping an eye for days you received his in return. A few years in, you both managed to confess and understand the feelings you had felt those years before -- speaking about how you felt far closer to him than any friend. He had simply said in return; 

You were never a friend to me. You were always something more. 

It had been nearly 2 years since that last note had been passed to you. You had been so unsure of what to send in return -- but you replied with hope, rambling on and on in enthusiasm proclaiming that the feeling was mutual. However, you never received a reply. You wondered if your father had discovered your correspondence with Kenma, though no servants were reprimanded and this possibility quickly left your mind. Perhaps something terrible had happened to him to prevent him from replying to you immediately, and so you waited. And waited. Days grew to weeks and months, and finally years. You had wanted to ask the servants but feared that even they didn’t know. Or if they knew, it was for reasons you were too afraid to know.

It hurt a lot at first, then made you bitter and angry. He had figured out hundreds of ways to speak with you till then, why stop now? Eventually, you came to accept that perhaps he had meant something completely different than you had assumed -- that maybe you had scared him away. The acceptance of this didn’t happen long before you reached courting age and were constantly hassled with notable bachelors and bachelorettes more interested in gaining money and a title than they were your hand. 

This very fact is what led you to then-current events. You had had enough of the parties and talking. Some suitors had been alright, but you were truly not in the mood for finding a potential partner. Not only was your mind constantly slipping to Kenma, his face still clear in your mind after all of these years, but the thought of who would be best to rule at your side when so many of those who attempted to romance you only seemed interested in the most shallow of things. Despite your family's reputation, your only wish was the best for your kingdom. If you were going to lead, you would do it well. The ignorant bubble your family confined you to would not change this fact. 

With a heavy sigh, you burst through the intricately painted castle doors, relieved to breathe in the fresh night air as you stepped out onto the outer balcony. The outdoors, where the stink of perfume and alcohol could be escaped if only for a few minutes, was your only solace on this night. Wrapping your outer garment closer to yourself, you strolled towards the edge and leaned on the stone railing. It was a cloudy night, with no stars or moon in sight. A storm was on the horizon and growing closer. You wondered if it would bring you a reason for the quick leave of the party. You wanted only to slump into your bed and sleep for the next week with the amount of “engagement” errands you had been forced to do. Humming to yourself, you lay your head on your arms as you stretched, thankful for the quiet when the sudden shuffle of leaves from below caused you to pause in shock. 

Blinking, you cautiously peered over the dark edge of the balcony, catching what seemed to be moved from the corner of your eye. You were a good 6 stories above ground, with only trees reaching this far and you wondered if perhaps some sort of animal had managed to climb one. However, as you squinted down into the darkness, whatever was down below seemed far larger than any wandering rodent. “H-hello?” you called out quietly, unsure of how to react in this sort of situation. There was a flicker of light-catching on eyes and a sharp golden gaze caught yours. A cat? 

But, before you could investigate further, your own name was called from behind you -- a noble aid panting and rather relieved to have found you. Smiling awkwardly at him, you turned your back to the edge and approached him. 

“T-there you are… your father is l-looking for you…” He spoke hastily and out of breath. 

“Is he? He could have easily have come to find me himself then…” you spoke under your breath, “Thank you.” Dismissing the man, you entered the castle once more, irritation once again overtaking the relief you have felt only moments before. The man hurried behind you, sticking close so he didn’t lose you to the crowd again. Looking around, you easily spotted your father who seemed perturbed by your lengthy absence. Eying you, he quickly indicated towards the Prince who seemed to be enjoying this whole ordeal just as much as you. As you moved to stand with your father, he shook his head and pointed more fiercely towards the Prince. Or more specifically, the empty spot beside him. It’s time then you thought for the announcement. 

As you came to stand beside Prince Tooru, a rather natural smile painting his face, you noticed his tightly clenched fist turning his knuckles white. They appeared slightly bruised and shaky and his personal guard was nowhere in sight. You could guess quite clearly what may have occurred while you were absent. If you were stronger, perhaps you could have comforted him, taken his hand in your, and guided him away from here. But you weren’t, and you knew how badly your family and country needed this alliance. And so you stood there in silence. As the prince stiffly wrapped his arm around your shoulders, the King stood from his throne and began to speak. Your parents moved forward to introduce themselves more formally to the party guests and thank the King for their invitation to such a glorious event. 

Compliments were thrown back and forth as rehearsed before they all turned to you and the Prince, finally acknowledging the two of you and waiting for your own memorized speech to be recited. However, as you moved to speak, a great crash of glass shattering broke the tension as several glowing objects were chucked into the room, bursting into clouds of colorful smoke. The lights were swiftly extinguished as the rain began to wet the marbled floor and lightning struck outside, illuminating the room in quick sequences.

There was swift movement around you, of what assumed were guards standing at the ready as Oikawa’s arm slipped from your shoulders and you were left standing alone in the dark. Coughing as you inhaled the strange smoke, you squinted and called out for your parents. 

There was a flash of silver swinging through the air that caused you to stumble back, nearly toppling over. But, a pair of arms were quick to catch and situate you. Thinking it may be the prince, you turned to thank him when you felt a cool slice of metal being placed gently against your skin. Before you could call out, a gloved hand covered your mouth and began to tug you backward. With a gasp, you attempted to catch a look at them, but they seemed to be covered head to toe in dark clothing, concealing their identity. 

A soft and muffled voice whispered into your ear as you attempted to struggle from their hold, “Don’t struggle….I won’t hurt you.” In your panic, you didn’t manage to recognize the all too familiar voice. If you had, the cold in your veins would have turned to warmth and your heart would have been beating for a far different reason. 

Another flash filled the room, thunder rumbling through as a glowing red substance began to billow and grow, reigniting the candles and light the terrified faces of the other nobles. A group of hooded figures was standing throughout the room, arms at the ready and seemingly well prepared. Each held their own weapon of choice, already moving about the room as though they knew it by heart and looking over the terrified guests that trembled in their presence. From your count, you saw nine -- you wondered if more hid within the smoke. 

Your eyes shifted across the room towards where your family had been standing, catching the look on your father and mother's face as they stared at you in panic and recognition. They were being held back by Kingsguard who seemed annoyed by their protest. As if they knew such an affair was going to take place that night. The King, however, seemed less than pleased at the sight of the intruders and even more so at the colorful broken glass scattered across the floor. 

“So, the threat was true then? You’re all rather cocky to attack in the middle of such an occasion!” The King spoke over one of the guards' shoulders, ready to dash from the room if the situation grew dangerous. Only three stood at the ready, the others seemed to have disappeared after the crash. You couldn’t tell if the intruders took notice of this. If they did, they made no indication of it. The hooded individual standing in the center stood and pocketed what appeared to be an empty glass canister. Chuckling he reached up and slowly removed his hood. Dark eyes peered from above a mask, sharp and calculating.

“I wouldn’t call this an attack,” the man spoke, his voice deep as he stared the King down, “More like a friendly greeting.” He pushed his hand through his unkempt hair and signaled his followers who began to push through the crowd and remove certain luxury items from the room. Several dug jewels from vases and goblets while others maintained the crowd, making sure none of them stepped out of line or were harmed in the robbery.

All the while, the three guards did not move from their trembling king's side. As the dark-haired individual took a step towards him, he glanced towards you with a look of confusion. You supposed he was looking towards the one whole held you captive. A quick look showed you to the sole hostage taken, and the expression the dark hair man had told you that this was certainly not a part of the plan. You didn’t seem to be the priority however as he turned back to the king who shuddered on the spot.

“You know why we're here, don’t you Great King?” 

“O-of course I do...” the King spoke shakily, edging backward. 

“Yeah? Then let me ask you a better question,” Unsheathing his sword, the man pointed it directly at the king, “Where’s the vault?” His voice had changed from playful to filled with hate. He sneered at the King who froze in place, “There’s nothing in that vault that belongs in the hands of dirty thieves like you!” As the King shouted, he bolted for the door behind him, dragging the Prince along. The Kingsguard were not far behind, taking your parents with them  
as they disappeared. 

“What’s in the vault doesn’t belong in your hands either!” the dark-haired man shouted, pursuing the escaping king when the sound of marching entered the room. City guards began to file in and attack the hooded individuals. They were facing them 5-to-1, clearly outnumbered but hardly out skilled. They took action immediately, moving into position and opposing them. You hoped the commotion would allow you to escape your captor and follow your parents. The guests screamed and scattered as sword met sword and a battle ensued. The dark-haired man attempting to follow the King but was cut off by a group of guards. Cursing, he met blades with them. 

“Shit Kuroo…” the man behind you spoke beneath his breath, relieving his hold for only a moment -- but just long enough to allow you to slip away. You nearly tripped to the floor as you bolted towards the door the King, prince, and your parents had escaped through. Shifting and sliding through the crowd, you just barely managed to not get trampled by the time you reached the door, tugging on the handle. But it wouldn’t give. 

“No...n-no,” you muttered, slamming your hands against the door, “l-let me in!” 

“Kuroo, we need to leave...” a man shouted from behind you, his voice calm despite the situation. He was tugging at two of the other members, both unwilling to end the fight as it was and pulling at him in protest. 

“I know,” the dark-haired man replied, “Grab everything you can! Let’s go!” 

He calls out once more, but you don’t catch the words as you are forcefully spun around, panic pounding in your ears. Your eyes meet the golden irises from earlier. Those damn eyes that felt all too familiar, but who did they belong to? They were focused solely on you, a certain strange intensity that caused your heart to beat even faster. All except his sharp gaze could be seen as he cornered you against the door. Back to the wall, you took in a shuddering breath as you eyed the dagger he still held in his hand. Noticing your shifting eyes, he slowly sheathed it, never allowing you out of his sight as he moved in ever so slowly closer both hands held carefully forward. You swear he seemed hesitant, almost as if he wanted to say something but was unsure of what words to use. 

Just as you were about to speak, question him, the man named Kuroo called out again, “Kenma, let’s go!” 

You gasped flashes of shared memories with the young boy that you loved running through your brain as you instinctively reached out and grabbed his hand. “K-ken? Is...that you?” Your voice was meek, almost inaudible in the chaotic room. But he heard, gripping your hand tighter. 

“Let’s go.” He tugged at you, pulling you behind him as you freely followed, elation filling you and all notice of anything but you and him disappearing.


	2. Chapter 2

Your bindings were rough against your skin, but not tight as you sat silently in the corner. It had been voted that you should be blindfolded and confined until they reached their destination. You felt confused, angered, and frustrated. But also relief. Kenma was alive, he was alive and strong and...a thief? You were still unsure of that last bit. But he was here with you, and you felt a sort of safety despite yourself at the fact that Kenma was so close by. He would surely not allow anything malicious to happen to you. 

You had done less than utter his name before a thick rope was wrapped around your wrists. Kenma had shot a protesting look towards Kuroo but said nothing more. As much as he wanted to argue, he knew there were protocols to follow. You had far too many questions running through your head, ones you had been waiting years to ask and ones that were new. Who were these people and why was Kenma with them? Were you their hostage now? Even though you followed so freely? Where were you going?

Why did I follow so freely? you questioned yourself, trying to understand the impulsive decision. You didn’t quite know where you and him stood, whether you were still friends or not. Or whether he felt the same way you had when you had sent that confession those two years ago. You had thought you’d gotten over him, but the beating in your heart and the flush in your face proved differently. 

Two of the men had been set as your guards as they discussed what actions to take next. It wasn’t as though you wanted to escape, you would not be leaving until all of your questions were answered. Until you were able to look into his eyes again. And so you sat, rather uncomfortably, in your now very wet clothes as the rain showered down against the metal trolley the group had rushed into. It puttered along the empty streets, following a well thought path. 

“Well that couldn’t have gone any worse,” someone spoke up through the silence, “and now we have a hostage to deal with -- that’s a lot more than just a few boxes of coin!” 

“Not just any hostage either,” said another, “A noble.” 

“So basically we’re in deep shit…” A harsher voice spoke out, almost choked. 

“Yeah, but at least they’re kind of cu--” another voice was cut off by a sound of impact and a grunt of pain. 

“You wanna explain why you brought them along Kenma?” spoke the one you recognized as Kuroo. From the way the group quieted, you determined they must all be waiting for the quieter boys reply. 

“I know them…” came Kenmas soft voice, deeper and calmer than you remember, “They’re...a friend.” The trolley erupted into chaos, some shouted in excitement while others confused. The only voice you didn’t hear among them were Kuroos and Kenmas. Though you could not see it, the two of them shared a look of knowing and understanding as if speaking through thoughts alone. A friend? You thought bitterly, your heart trembling at the word. 

“It doesn’t matter if they’re a friend Kenma!” spoke up a voice from earlier.

“Of course we’re happy you have friends--” 

“Yes, of course! But, that doesn't make it less dangerous to have them along!” 

“Who knows how important they are, how many knights and nobles are gonna be searching for them!” 

“Enough!” shouted Kuroo, raising his voice higher than you had heard it yet. “Enough. I trust Kenma had a good reason for bringing them along. One that he will be happy to share once we get home. Until then, keep your mouths shut and focus -- we don’t want to cause a commotion in the streets.” 

From those words alone, the men filed about and gathered what you assumed were scavenged items from the way they jangled and clanked. You were sure you had moved locations at least thrice before the party came to a stop, jumping between cart and trolley. You were beginning to feel tired, sore, cold, and nauseous. You had become completely discombobulated and truly wished for nothing more at this point than to be untied and have your blindfolds removed. They had at least been gentle with moving you here and there. Unbeknownst to you, each time one of his group approached you Kenma leered towards them in warning. Some chuckled at the sight while others froze in fear.

But not once did he approach or touch you. He couldn’t keep his mind straight on why he had dragged you into this and he knew that if he got close to you, it would be harder to stay away. When he had seen you there, standing on the balcony, he had been struck with both awe and confusion. He was sure you had seen him as well, your eyes meeting in the darkness -- but your sudden retreat said otherwise. There had been rumors that a neighboring kingdom's family had come to visit, but they had lacked the information on who it was -- the palace keeping rather hush hush about its new found alliance. He hadn’t meant to grab you, to hold you or pull you away. His body had acted on its own, instinct taking over before he could manage to stop it. And it both frustrated and puzzled him. If he had been right of mind, surely he would have never of gotten you involved in all of this, right? But that look of sadness on your face, the same one you held the day he left the house. He couldn’t stand idle. Not when the one person he cared so deeply for was finally within his grasp.

Kuroo was being rather quiet now, Kenma noted. The questions that he would be berated with later were already beginning to annoy him. Kuroo could tell there was something more between you and Kenma, something untouchable. He observed the limited interactions closely, noticing his young friend passing looks your way and smiled. This would certainly be interesting.   
You seemed less than happy, which was fair enough. He wouldn’t be happy in your shoes himself. But, he thought, if we play our cards right...they could be useful. 

You were pulled to your feet carefully as the trolley came to a full stop. The hands on you seemed to shake, but you heavily doubted that it was from fear of you. As the person guided you through the length of the cart, and down the steps, they barely touched you. Hold just ghosting over you as they guided you outside you felt the squish of mud beneath your boots as you stepped out, sliding against the ground before arms stabilized you. Kenma threw a look towards Yamamoto who had failed to catch you. Grimacing, he backed off, not wanting to start a fight with his tense friend. It was a situation he was never fond of. Kenma whispered a gentle word beneath his breath to you. You couldn’t quite make it out, but his voice was familiar and eased you into a sense of comfort.

The dampness of your silked robes were becoming unbearably uncomfortable, sticking to you as the humid after storm air. A shiver ran up your spine as a wind chilled you. You were far from the city, that much was clear from the lack of sound and unnatural light that filtered through your thin blindfold. Noticing your shiver, Kenma wordlessly removed his own cloak and placed it on your shoulders. You flinched at the gentle touch, but shrugged into the warm garment nevertheless. Several of the others watched from afar in continued amazement. Before Kenma could reply to your polite thanks, the group began to push forward.

You slipped occasionally on the uneven ground, but were quickly put back into place by the hands leading you to your next destination. You were clearly confused, just the way your posture tensed and wavered was enough evidence of that. But Kenma couldn’t remove your binds yet. He didn’t allow his touch to linger on you, as much as his being shook to do so. He still wasn’t ready to face the impulsive decisions he had made that night and was scared of the consequences. Though you had appeared happy in the moment, your mood had quickly shifted as you were ordered to sit still and allow bindings to be wrapped around your wrists and eyes. Understandably, he thought to himself, I wouldn’t like that either. 

The walk was a long one and you were sure that they were leading you in circles. Or perhaps that is what they wanted you to think. Even if they did grow to trust you on Kenmas word, it was better to play it safe. And so you allowed them to play their game of maze, your feet aching by the end. You were sure the soles were being torn through, the thin material beginning to wear. 

“Stop.” A familiar voice from behind you whispered, tugging on your sleeve. His warm touch lingered on you before disappointingly disappearing. There was a shifting of gears, locks becoming unlocked, and the sudden smell of fire burning and heat emanating from the dark space ahead of you. You were nudged forward once more, the steps becoming more even with a slightly downward slope as you walked into what you would find to be your new home in the coming months. 

***

The distant attitude towards you changed almost instantly when you arrived at the Nekoma headquarters. At the order of Kuroo not only were you untied, but given fresh warm clothing, food and water, as well as numerous apologies. Some were more forced than others, but you supposed they still counted. The sudden shift nearly threw you into a whiplash as you just stared at them all, each setting to their individual tasks. You followed them about, some throwing a smile your way while others ignored you -- both with flush faces and absent expressions. You wondered if you may have been left to your own devices. Or if they simply weren’t worried about you escaping because you certainly weren’t in a position to. You didn’t know where you were or whether the front doors to wherever this place was would freely open for you. You were, in a way, trapped in comfort. 

You had long lost sight of Kenma and Kuroo, who had disappeared as soon as the boys began to introduce themselves. You had greeted and properly introduced yourself back, including all names and titles. You were sure they would eventually find out exactly who you were anyways.

“So wait--you’re not just important,” spoke the tallest of them, a young boy named Lev, during an early meal “You’re extremely valuable. Aren’t you that noble engaged to the Prince?” The idea of you being seen as “valuable” wasn’t quite sitting well with you. Yaku, a light haired boy, seemed to agree and gave Lev a violent nudge. He had a strange point to his ears that made you wonder if he was fully human. 

“Sometimes it’s better not to speak your mind,” he spoke harshly at Lev before turning to you, “Sorry about him, he doesn’t have proper thoughts. You have nothing to worry about though, while you’re here you’ll be under our protection!” 

“Thank you.” You spoke timidly, giving him a look of gratitude. 

“Or more so Kenma’s,” spoke another voice belonging to the calmest of the bunch, Kai, “Since he’s the one that brought you here.” 

You blinked, the thought of finding Kenma and demanding answers from him once more entering the forefront of your mind. 

“How exactly do you know him,” Lev asked, looking warily to his side, “We didn’t know he had many friends…” 

“We…” you hesitated a moment, questioning exactly how much information you should pass to them, “He grew up in my house -- we were...companions.” A trill of sadness bled through your being, thinking back to those times, your true feelings wishing to push through. The boys must have noticed this sudden change because they remained silent.

“Where is Kenma?” you asked, eyes scanning the dimly lit room. It wasn’t much, just an abandoned cellar the group had renovated for their own use. There were several areas blocked off with the use of curtains and in the center an old stove that was used for heat. Candles were placed precariously about, but carefully watched to prevent any fires. Piles of other scavenged items lay about in an unorganized fashion. Each boy seemed to have his own space to fill, but all in all it was rather cramped and homely. They had made it their own, respectively, and it certainly did not appear to be a den for thieves. In fact, since you had arrived, you had not eyed a single jewel or piece of gold. Even the items they had taken from the palace were nowhere in sight. 

“He’s probably in the back getting scolded.” spoke Yamamoto, the only one who hadn’t managed to meet your gaze. 

“Don’t worry,” Yaku spoke again, “He’ll be back, I’m sure you have plenty of questions to ask him.” 

“It’s been a couple of hours though…” Lev spoke again, “he must really be getting a talking to…”

Kenma could hear the echoing voices of his friends chatting with you, distracting him from Kuroos words. He kept glancing back toward the room, knowing that you were just on the other side of the wall. They had been discussing for hours, what to do with you, whether you should remain here to aid them or be returned, if you would even be willing to stay, how to rethink their plan of getting the peoples gold from the castle vault as they had planned and returning it, and...how to utilize you.

“Kenma,” Kuroo spoke seriously, pulling his attention back to him, “Do they even know what we do...what you do?” He furrowed his brow, looking down at his long time friend. Kenma shook his head, “No...I haven’t spoken to them in years. It was...a coincidence they were even there today.” He wanted to continue to explain, to tell Kuroo that he didn’t know why he had grabbed and pulled you along. But he had a suspicion Kuroo already understood that he was just as confused about the situation as you were. 

“So,” Kuroo spoke once more, “What are you going to do? Are you going to tell them?” 

Kenma grimaced, “I don’t really want to.” 

Sighing, Kuroo placed a hand on Kenmas shoulder and squeezed, “But you have to. It’s your responsibility to tell them, help them understand. Or, we’ll have to lock them up until you're ready.” Kenma felt the urge to protest, but when he met the older boy's eyes, he knew how serious Kuroo was about this whole situation. It was his responsibility, that much was true, but if he could just go back and time to stop himself from bringing you along? He would do so instantly. At least, that’s what he was attempting to convince himself. 

A curtain to the back shifted and Kuroo stepped out with Kenma in tow. He avoided your searching eyes, keeping them trained on the ground. All of the boys were silent and looking back and forth between the two of you. Kuroo glanced behind himself expectantly but Kenma still hadn’t lifted his head. Through the curtain of his ombre bangs, he caught sight of the look you were shooting him. Anger, worry, and relief? 

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out from behind Kuroo, walking to the center of the room and grabbing your arm to pull you to a more private section of the cellar. Like hell he would have an audience when talking with you. You heard a few mumbles and murmurs as you exited, this behavior obviously a surprise to the others. But you didn’t quite catch the words they were saying. You were far more preoccupied with his fingers interlacing with yours. Noticing his want for privacy, you took the lead and moved to your own area.

He didn’t immediately let go of your hand when you reached your private corner. You had managed to find a small closed off area from the rest of the cellar that gave you a proper amount of privacy. Kenmas fingers pressed against the back of your hand a moment before sliding away. They were now gloveless, and slightly cool. Just as they had always been back when you were young and you would rub them together with your own to warm them. But they slipped from your fingers so easily now.

All questions disappeared from your thoughts as you grabbed his arm, tugging it towards you and wrapping your own around his shoulders. Burying yourself into his neck, you clung to your childhood friend with all of the strength and might you didn’t have all those years ago when you couldn’t keep hold of him. 12 years worth of love bottled up came tumbling out as you pressed against him and stumbled ungracefully against the wall. He stuttered a moment, arms floating at his sides, unsure of what to do with them. Slowly, he wrapped them around your waist and squeezed. The two of you stood there, with only the distant sound of the others shuffling around, fire crackling, and each other's slow breaths to occupy your ears.

He spoke first, your name finally leaving his lips as his voice moved softly against you. You smiled and spoke his back to which the faintest of a grin appeared on his face. Slowly and without loosening your hold, you both kneeled to the ground and sat there a moment in each other's company. Taking a deep breath, you sat back slightly to meet his eyes and spoke, “Why didn’t you write me back? What...why are you here? Why did you come to the castle tonight?” 

You shook your head softly, blinking away sudden tears. Kenma furrowed his brows, unsure of how to answer the questions you asked. Not only because he was at a loss of words but he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off your lips now that you sat so close. He knew it wasn’t rational, admiring you at a moment like this, but with so much time in between seeing you -- he needed a moment to breathe you in. He must have stared longer than he meant because you shook him lightly. 

“Ken? Are you alright?” The worry on your face was back again, your hand moving to caress his cheek. He blinked, arm slipping from around your waste and pressing against your cheek in return, thumb wiping at the stray tear. He had only two words he could think of to say in that moment.

“I’m sorry…” 

And as the words left his lips, you pressed further forward and graced them with your own.


End file.
